Addiction & the Family Flashcards
Define life-cycle.
Normal ups and downs in life that everyone experiences
Addicts may begin turning to substances or behaviors as a _____ to control the _____.
Coping mechanism; life-cycles
* Attempt to control and desire for happiness
What are the main catalysts for sex addiction?
Burnout and boredom
The process of addiction is _____ and _____.
Progressive and dynamic
- Unclear/chaotic
- Sometimes, no clear beginning or end
No matter the addiction, all are in search of _____.
A desired change of mood
_____ and _____ provide the fastest release of Dopamine.
Food and sex
List the types of highs.
Arousal
Satiation
Fantasy/Trance
Describe the arousal high.
Arousal: raw power, invincibility
- Amphetamines, alcohol, behaviors
- Actually drains energy
Describe the satiation high.
Satiation: sense of being full, complete, and beyond pain
- Behaviors and some substances
- Attached to grief cycle
Describe the fantasy/trance high.
Fantasy/Trance: Detach from physical surroundings; lives in 2 worlds simultaneously b/w addicted world and real world
- Mostly behavioral, but includes psychedelics
- Forced to face emptiness when addiction reaction ends
70% of addictions are formed:
○ After the loss of a loved one ○ Loss of status ○ Loss of ideal/dream ○ Loss of friendships ○ Facing new social challenges/isolation (moving for example) ○ When leaving one's family
List the aspects of the cycle of addiction.
- Emotional Triggers
- Craving
- Ritual
- Using
- Guilt
Describe emotional triggers with regards to the cycle of addiction.
Doesn’t know how to cope with emotions, overwhelmed, internalized pain, stress, frustration
- Leads to anxiety or depression of some form and a demand for relief
- Pain is from past typically; stress is typically current
Describe craving with regards to the cycle of addiction.
Includes fantasizing about using first or obsessing about using
* Obsession usually comes after use has happened for a while
Describe ritual with regards to the cycle of addiction.
Includes acting out or engaging/seeking
- Finding the item of addiction
- Ritual accomplishes two tasks: distracts from pain & plans for pleasure
- Grandiosity of self (I deserve or need this, I’m in control)
- Many people never go beyond this step because they can self-regulate
Describe using with regards to the cycle of addiction.
Actually using or acting out with the addiction (drinking alcohol, having sex with another person, masturbation)
- Often the result of loss of control or leads to a loss of control
- There are usually few consequences at first, which leads the person to keep using
Describe guilt with regards to the cycle of addiction.
Remorse, shame which leads to dissatisfaction (messes up the high)
- Leads to pain, intensifies the pain, or makes the person aware of the reality of pain
- Guilt can be maladapted in setting unrealistic expectations of themselves
List the aspects of the cycle of sexual addiction.
- Curiosity/Exposure
- Excitement/Pleasure
- Self-medication
- Dependency
- Addiction
Describe curiosity/exposure with regards to the cycle of sexual addiction.
By accident or forced upon
- Humans have a natural curiosity about sex and it’s generally healthy
Describe excitement/pleasure with regards to the cycle of sexual addiction.
Best place to treat someone, also where trauma can get miscued
- A young boy getting an erection during molestation even though he wasn’t enjoying it causing shame because he knows it’s bad
- Date rape can often cause sexual excitement in victim which causes them to not report it
- Sexual arousal is physical and can happen in any circumstance, even traumatic (lubrication occurring during assault is body’s natural response to penetration to keep from tearing
Describe self-medicating with regards to the cycle of sexual addiction.
Acting out sexually (porn, masturbation, sex)
- Detox is needed at this step, usually 90 days is needed where they abstain from all
Describe dependency with regards to the cycle of sexual addiction.
Comes from repetition and accessibility
- Sex is very accessible
Describe addiction with regards to the cycle of sexual addiction.
After repetition and accessibility creates a dependency and has compulsions to do it
- Loss of control
